The invention disclosed and claimed herein generally pertains to a system for more effectively communicating information, which relates to international travel, to members of a business or other organization who are planning to engage in such travel. More particularly, the invention pertains to a system of the above type which may readily employ interconnected computers and electronic data transmission links. Even more particularly, the invention pertains to a system of the above type which identifies persons in a large organization intending to travel from one country to another, and which timely provides such persons with important travel information generated by different functions or departments of the organization.
In many large American corporations, as well as in other types of organizations, there is an increasing need for employees to travel across national boundaries, from one country to another. Accordingly, it has become common for such organizations to maintain travel centers or the like, which assist employees in making international travel arrangements. The travel center may be an in-house function or department of a business organization, or it may be an outside travel agency or the like, which is under contract to provide travel services to organization employees. The term “travel center”, as used herein, includes all such arrangements. More specifically, such term is intended to include any entity, regardless of its relationship to an organization, which is tasked to make international travel arrangements for organization employees or members. Typically, travel arrangements made by such travel centers have, in the past, been limited to making hotel and transportation reservations, delivering tickets therefor, and sometimes providing information in regard to passports and other documents needed to enter a foreign country.
In recent years, business organizations have recognized that certain of their activities, operations and functions, because of particular expertise and resources possessed thereby, can provide specialized information and services to international travelers. Such specialized information and services are generally beyond the scope and capabilities of conventional travel centers, as defined above. For example, it is very common for a business organization to maintain a medical office or clinic, which is primarily concerned with the health care needs of employees located in the immediate area or vicinity. However, some businesses have now recognized that their medical operations can also provide vital services for prospective international travelers. Such services have been found to include medical travel advice, immunization recommendations for the countries to which travel is intended, and providing guidance for dealing with medical emergencies in such countries. In certain businesses, the medical operation is equipped to provide required immunizations, and also to supply international travelers with medical kits containing very useful items such as basic medications, bandages and sterile inoculation needles. For many companies, employee travel is now directed to nearly all habited regions of the world, and extends to locations which, until very recently, were little known and considered remote by American and European travelers. Accordingly, health care concerns of international business travelers are of increasing interest and importance.
In a number of organizations, an information technologies (IT) or information systems (IS) operation, which is generally concerned with computers, computer networks and interconnections thereof, provides a further example of a specialized in-house activity which can also provide important services for international business travelers. For example, such travelers increasingly are equipped with laptop computers. These computers may be essential for enabling a traveler to function at a foreign location, and also for enabling the traveler to access the internet and to send and receive e-mails. However, if a laptop computer has an electric cord with a plug suitable for receptacles in the United States, it will not be usable with the receptacles found in most European countries. Similar incompatibilities occur in regard to the plug used to connect a computer modem to a telephone line. Accordingly, the IT operations of some business organizations now perform the task of equipping travelers with adapters and other components to make their computer equipment useable at foreign sites. Such IT operations may provide other valuable services and information as well, such as instructions on accessing a corporation internet website, in order to obtain maps and other useful travel information.
While certain specialized functions of a business, as described above, can provide useful services in preparing an employee for international travel, such services frequently are not utilized or taken advantage of. Usually, this occurs because the employee is largely or entirely unaware of international travel services which can be provided by the specialized functions. In the past, the travel center of an organization typically has had little or no contact with such specialized functions, and accordingly, has likewise tended to be unaware of their capabilities in regard to international travel. Moreover, even when the travel services of a specialized function are used, the function may not be able to get feedback from an employee after he or she returns from travel, in order to determine whether the services were beneficial, and how they may be improved.